


30.19 Seconds of Perfection (in Four-Part, One-Man Harmony)

by Kantayra



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-17
Updated: 2011-04-17
Packaged: 2017-10-19 02:13:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/195725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kantayra/pseuds/Kantayra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For 30.19 glorious seconds, Sherlock believed John to be Moriarty.</p>
            </blockquote>





	30.19 Seconds of Perfection (in Four-Part, One-Man Harmony)

**Author's Note:**

> A fill for [this prompt](http://sherlockbbc-fic.livejournal.com/5950.html?thread=27499070#t27499070) on sherlockbbc_fic.

**0.00 seconds:**

The sound of a door opening and closing echoed through the pool.

`FIVE O’CLOCK SHARP. TURN.`

 _Moriarty._

(Don’t jump to conclusions. Could be another mouthpiece.)

 _Confrontation set up according to profile. Moriarty will come._

(Stupid to do so. Why expose himself?)

 _Frailty of genius. Needs appreciation._

`MOVEMENT AHEAD. DON’T REVEAL GUN. NOT JUST YET.`

 _Moriarty. Must be._

(Don’t be overconfident.)

I know him. It’s… Oh _god_.

***

 **8.15 seconds:**

“’Evening.”

 _Silence._

(Silence.)

`SILENCE.`

…

***

 **14.33 seconds:**

“This is a turn-up, isn’t it, Sherlock?”

John?

 _John._

(John?)

`JOHN!`

Can’t be, impossible, I _trusted_ you…

***

 **18.82 seconds:**

“John… What the hell?”

“Bet you never saw this coming,” John said flatly.

 _Obvious. Who else would have known about me? Known about blog? Been following me from the beginning…_

(Unlikely. Cabbie committed first three murders prior to first meeting with John. Keep focused.)

`JOHN’S VOICE AND EYES LEVEL. NO UNCERTAINTY. JOHN IS MORIARTY.`

 _Of course, because who else would care to contrive an entire case around my lack of knowledge of astronomy? Must have been John all along_

It’s horrible. It’s perfect. It’s horrible and perfect all at once. That’s what makes it so perfect.

(Why? Why pretend to be my friend? Why reveal himself now? Why, why?)

 _Knew about me before we met. Must have._

(How?)

 _Blog. Must have arranged everything._

(How?)

 _Contrived meeting with Mike Stamford. May even have manipulated eviction from previous flat. Must look into it._

`RETROACTIVE OBSERVATIONS: EASY ACCEPTANCE OF CAREER, EXPERIMENTS, PERSONAL HABITS. UNLIKE ALL PREVIOUS FLATMATES. ABERATION. STASTICAL OUTLIER. DESIRE TO INTRUDE UPON CASES. REFUSAL OF MYCROFT’S OFFER. SUSPICOUS BEHAVIOUR.`

 _No one refuses Mycroft. Moriarty all along. Only explanation._

(Only explanation or most obvious explanation based on current facts?)

It’s perfect. He’s perfect. He’s a mastermind. He’s brilliant. He’s _like me_.

 _ONLY explanation. Makes sense. Like me. He’s like me. Boredom unbearable. Found solution to boredom. Had to insert himself into my life. Only solution._

We’re perfect for each other. We _were_ made for each other. We’ll never be bored again.

(If so, he’s betrayed us. It was all a lie. Not friend, never friend. _Enemy_!)

Both. Both at once. Best friend and archenemy and so, so _perfect_!

`NO FURTHER DATA FORTHCOMING. JOHN WAITING FOR REACTION. WHAT IS REACTION?`

 _John is Moriarty. John is John. Amazing, wonderful, more than I’d ever hoped for._

Together, we are _self-sustaining_. No boredom for us ever again. Either of us.

(Stay focused. Dangerous! Four lives risked already. Don’t lose head.)

Don’t care. Doesn’t matter. Nothing matters. Only John and I. I and John.

(Don’t turn _giddy_!)

 _We’ll kill each other, of course. Or it will be like this forever. Only the chase. Forever the chase._

`REACTION? REACT!`

(Be cautious. Can’t predict—)

 _Oh, shut up! It’s JOHN!_

Everything. He’s everything. We’re everything. I think I lo—

`REACT! `

***

 **30.19 seconds:**

Instinctively, Sherlock stepped forward, paused, and began again.

John opened his coat. “What would you like me to make him say next?”

Sherlock blinked, observed the Semtex, and froze.

 _Wrong._

(Wrong.)

`WRONG!`

Wrong?

 _So obvious in retrospect._

(Predictable. Clichéd. Of course Moriarty took John. Natural progression.)

`TOO WARM IN HERE FOR COAT THAT HEAVY. JOHN’S VOICE ALWAYS MOST STEADY IN CRISIS. OBVIOUS, OBVIOUS, OBVIOUS!`

(Pay attention. Never jump to conclusions. Facts, not emotions!)

 _Foolish mistake. Never make it again. Focus on matter at hand. John is in danger._

Wrong? But it all made sense! Most perfect moment of—

 _Quiet._

(Quiet.)

`QUIET!`

 _Trying to think. Need to think._

(Can’t forgive Moriarty for this.)

`MUST BE NEARBY. SNIPER IN PREVIOUS ATTACKS. LOCATE SNIPER: 5 O’CLOCK, ABOVE.`

What does it matter? Moriarty not John. Nothing else could be right. Pointless. Moriarty is—

***

 **59.21 seconds:**

“I gave you my number,” Moriarty’s voice cooed as a second door opened. “I thought you might call.”

 _Disappointing._

(Disappointing.)

`DISAPPOINTING!`

It would have been brilliant. Perfect. Just the two of us, together, forever.

Too bad.

Moriarty stepped forward, and Sherlock pulled out his gun.

Too, too bad.


End file.
